Editorial: On the responsibility of the voter

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The right to vote in a free election is a cornerstone of American democracy.

It is a right and a privilege not to be taken lightly.

And it is a right when exercised that comes with great responsibility. To be blunt, if you as a voter have not chosen to educate yourself and instead will cast a vote in ignorance for, well, sham and unsound reasons, then we suggest that you simply stay home on Election Day.

It is the voter's responsibility to cast an informed vote.

Candidates via forums and public appearances, in interviews and through advertising, from the distribution of literature and on their websites, have provided a great deal of information about themselves and their points of view.

Throughout the past several weeks the Summit Daily has published stories, letters and opinion pieces that provide insight into the candidates and their positions.

It is not as though any eligible voter has not had at the ready the means to know the candidates and their positions.

We applaud the candidates who have chosen to be more up front, more candid about their views, who have not run from issues but addressed them in a plain-spoken and direct way.

We applaud the candidates who have chosen not to employ simple platitudes or focus on a single issue or constituency.

We applaud the candidates who have detailed the tough and hard choices they will make if elected.

We applaud the candidates who have not pandered to constituents and have been honest about where they stand, even if the stand is clearly unpopular with some segment of the voting populace.

For all candidates this applies, but most especially for candidates in local commission races and local legislative races.

While the Summit Daily has chosen not to make endorsements in this year's local races, it does not mean that we will not implore every voter to look past simple party labels or single issues to recognize that leadership is truly defined not by what a candidate promises, but what a candidate will not promise. The candidate who speaks honestly and openly about the unpopular decisions they will make, who does not pander to popular causes but who straightforwardly speaks to the unpopular but required choices that will be made, that is the candidate to whom you should listen.